“Stop going in my room”: A grounded theory study of conflict among stepsiblings

Objective This research explores how, and under what conditions, stepsiblings engage in, manage, and resolve conflict. Background Interpersonal conflict is widely recognized as a meaningful and consequential relational dynamic. Although stepfamily conflict has been studied in a variety of family contexts (e.g., spousal, parent–child, stepparent–stepchild), conflict among stepsiblings has received scant attention. The growing prevalence of stepsiblings, coupled with the role of conflict in shaping family dynamics, warrants greater attention be paid to stepsibling conflict. Method Twenty‐five adults were interviewed about their relationships with 71 stepsiblings. Grounded theory procedures were used. Results For conflict between stepsiblings to occur, three conditions had to be in place: (a) opportunity (i.e., shared time, shared space), (b) intimacy (i.e., perceived closeness between stepsiblings or familiarity), and (c) similarity (i.e., age, gender, or role). Sources of conflict included (a) stepsibling behaviors, (b) territory violations (e.g., bedrooms), and (c) differential treatment by stepparents/parents. Conflict management included both intrapersonal and interpersonal strategies. Conclusion Stepsibling conflict should be normalized as an indication of relational closeness, trust, and security. Implications Stepsibling conflicts may help them develop closer bonds. Parents should make space for children, maintain bonds with children, promote stepsibling ties, monitor stepsibling conflicts, and consider children's perspectives.